Classic car firm Morgan building new three-wheeler after gap of 60 years

Morgan, the last surviving British car manufacturer, is building a new
three-wheeler in a recreation of the classic model once driven by Sir
Stirling Moss after a gap of almost 60 years.

Morgan Three Wheeler Super Sports, built in 1932Photo: ALAMY

By Andy Bloxham and Andrew English, Motoring Correspondent

6:30AM BST 04 Oct 2010

The Worcestershire firm, which has been family owned since its inception 100 years ago, is creating the Morgan Three Wheeler to mark its centenary.

Morgans were once the epitome of cool: it was the first car Sir Stirling drove legally on the road, and other owners have included Brigitte Bardot, Queen Noor of Jordan and Ralph Lauren.

In 1968, the Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger drove Marianne Faithful in his buttercup yellow Morgan from his home in Chelsea to the Old Bailey where he was on trial for possession of drugs.

The return of the three-wheeler has been the subject of widespread rumour among enthusiasts, but it has been confirmed by Jill Price, the sister of the company's managing director Charles Morgan, to members of the Morgan Three Wheeler Club on Saturday.

She said the company had started to build the tricycles, which she said “were beautiful”, and that she already has a silver and blue example on order.

Related Articles

The last three-wheeler rolled off Morgan's production line in Malvern in July 1952 and, after the designs spent years going unbuilt, the firm approached American engineer Pete Larsen in 2009 to see if he was interested in buying the licence.

The vehicle became the Liberty Ace, which is built in Seattle, and proved a success so, last year, Morgan bought back a three-wheeler licence.

The Liberty Ace used the engine from a Harley Davidson motorcycle but Morgan are likely to prefer a British-built engine to appeal to its fans.

The new cars are expected to be built in Malvern once more and to feature a modern 1,100cc or 1,000cc v-twin version of the original JA Prestwich engine, which could be built by the local specialists Cameron Engineering.

The engines could generate a maximum of around 90 brake horse power, which could see road-going versions reach speeds of up to 100mph. Racing versions could be made to go faster on more powerful fuel.

Enthusiasts estimated that the new three-wheelers would sell for around £46,000.

No name has yet been decided but the firm could revive a moniker from an old model such as the Runabout or, more probably, the Super Sports.

Morgan was founded by HFS Morgan - who was always called "HFS" - in 1910 and has been in the ownership of the same family ever since.

It started by building distinctive tricycles with a vee-shaped engine between the front wheels.

Although Morgan’s success was established by its three-wheelers, demand fell off as an increasingly affluent public demanded more luxury in their motoring as well as the additional stability of a fourth wheel.

The new models are expected to appeal to wealthier drivers who will enjoy the look and feel of a classic car without the need for costly and time-consuming maintenance.

Ian Parkinson, of the Morgan Three Wheeler Club, said: "We play with these silly old cars because they're are a lot of fun to drive: they corner like they're on rails and you can drift them round corners. But they can conk out without warning in the middle of nowhere.

"It will be wonderful to see a classic bit of British engineering back on the road and brand new and could open the club to a new kind of enthusiast."